Trenton detective shot on duty has badge retired on one-year anniversary of the shooting

Courtesy of William Osterman
Detectives Edgar Rios and Jimmy Letts, shot by the same man during a domestic violence case, both partners have recovered well.

WEST WINDSOR — It’s been one year since now-retired Detective Edgar Rios was shot and almost killed, and he still remembers the incident as if it happened yesterday.

“As soon as I realized that I was hit, I said to myself, ‘Damn, he shot me,’” Rios said Friday evening at his retirement party. “I couldn’t believe it.”

Around 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 15, 2013, Detectives Edgar Rios and Jimmy Letts were escorting a domestic violence victim back to her Hobart Avenue home when they were ambushed by her ex-boyfriend Eric McNeil.

Earlier that morning, McNeil, 23, allegedly broke into the woman’s house and brutally beat her; he also stabbed and killed her three-week-old puppy. Police found the victim bruised and beaten and took her to TPD headquarters. McNeil fled the scene before police arrived and was considered armed and dangerous. But unbeknownst to the victim, he later returned to the woman’s home.

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When Rios, Letts and the victim arrived at the Hobart residence, they paused to examine a box containing the puppy’s remains, which the woman had left outside with the trash. The detectives examined the box as evidence, and then Rios called a crime scene technician to take photographs of the box. The trio then started walking toward the porch, and that’s when McNeil walked out of the front door and started shooting.

“I really didn’t hear a gunshot,” Rios said. “I only knew I was hit because I fell to the ground.”

When McNeil walked out of the house, Rios said, he noticed the gun in his hand. So, Rios jumped in front of the woman and told her to run, and while doing so, he turned sideways.

“That’s why he shot me through the side instead of head-on,” Rios said.

Rios fell to the ground, he said, and then jumped back up and realized that he needed to reach the police vehicle to radio for assistance. Meanwhile, Rios said, McNeil fired several shots at Letts. McNeil then turned around and fired another shot at Rios, which struck him in the back.

McNeil then suddenly appeared startled, Rios said. And when he turned to see what distracted McNeil’s attention, Rios noticed that the crime scene technician had just arrived. That split-second distraction was all the detectives needed to take McNeil out.

Rios was shot once in the side of his torso and once in his back. Letts was shot in his right shoulder and the right side of his abdomen. McNeil was killed in the shootout.

For their bravery during the shooting, Rios and Letts were later honored at the White House for being “TOP COPS” by President Barack Obama.

Letts was released from the hospital shortly following the shooting, and returned to work earlier this year. Rios, meanwhile, remained hospitalized until Oct. 25. Thus far, Rios has undergone six surgeries in connection with injuries suffered from the shooting, and he attends rehab for two and a half hours a day, three times a week.

“My physical condition is like the weather,” Rios said. “One day I’m good, and the next day it’ll hurt. I still have at least one more surgery that needs to be done, and the doctor just ordered me to have another 36 rehab visits.”

Rios recounted the events of that tragic day for a Trentonian reporter at his retirement party Friday, where over 200 people shared memories, laughs and food. Rios said he only agreed to have a retirement party if it could be held on the same date as the shooting. His daughter Jessica made it happen.

“I wanted to turn a bad day into a good day,” Rios said. “And it worked.”

Those in attendance included Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson, Trenton Police Director Ernest Parrey, Mercer County First Assistant Prosecutor Angelo Onofri, Mercer County Sheriff Jack Kemler, as well as several former and current Trenton police officer’s.

The packed room remained electric throughout the evening as people danced, joked and reminisced. Toward the end of the night, Director Parrey retired Rios’ detective badge, and stated that “there are times in a career when exemplary service requires special attention.”

Going forward, no TPD officer will be assigned Detective Badge #1.

“I’m honored,” Rios said. “Usually a badge is retired when the officer dies on the job. In my 33 years on the force, I’ve never seen it happen like this before.”

Rios, 54, said that he has wanted to be a police officer since the age of 15. His uncle used to work as a Special Police Officer, Rios said, and he wanted to walk in his uncle’s shoes.

Rios, who was raised in West Trenton, took the exam to become a police officer at his first opportunity. And when he was hired, he made a point to learn all that he could. That strong work ethic and desire to learn led him to become one of the most respected officers in the county.

“When I got on the job, I wanted to learn it,” Rios said. “And it got to a point where there wasn’t a job I couldn’t handle. I had done it all, and I was confident in doing it.”

Rios said that he enjoyed his job so much that he never considered calling out from work unless it was absolutely necessary. And prior to the shooting, Rios said, he only used six sick days over the course of his entire career.

“I didn’t look at my job as being a job,” Rios said. “I enjoyed helping people, and that’s why I went to work every day. In my 33 years, I used a total of six sick days, and they were all because I was in the hospital.”

The Trentonian talked with several of Rios’ former co-workers Friday night, and they all spoke of him with a great deal of respect, admiration and love. Some couldn’t say enough about Rios, and others were so overwhelmed with emotion that they couldn’t find the right words.

“There is no one that can replace the knowledge that Edgar Rios has,” Lt. Edelmiro Gonzalez Jr. said. “The knowledge, the leadership and the mentorship that he brings to the department cannot be duplicated. I’ve known him for about 15 years and he worked for me on a couple of different occasions; he was my go-to guy. People like him come once in a lifetime. To say that I wish him the very best is an understatement.”

Sheriff Jack Kemler said he worked with Rios for at least 20 years, and that the two have developed a family bond.

“Edgar’s good people, we’re like family,” Kemler said. “He’s a strong-minded person and he kinda watches over all of us. If you needed anything, Edgar was always there. He’s a down to Earth, great person.”

Lt. Stephen Varn said he’ll always remember the lessons he learned from Rios on how to be a detective.

“When I first came up as a detective, I was a little apprehensive, a little nervous and intimidated,” Varn said. “And when I met Edgar, I remember him saying to me, ‘Varn man, stick with me; you’ll be okay.’ It was always good to know that someone with experience, like Rios, was there to help you along the way.”

Parrey, who was appointed Acting Trenton Police Director on July 1, said that he was brokenhearted that day when he learned that Rios was not returning to the department. At the retirement party, Parrey shared with the audience a couple stories illustrating how Rios always handled situations and solved cases in a calm manner, with grace and expertise.

“Edgar was a mentor to me,” Parrey said. “He was a teacher, a mentor and a very patient person.”

Rios retired due to injuries sustained in the shootout. Following the shooting, his family said, Rios remained unresponsive for about a month, while in an induced coma. His family said they were worried, but tried to remain strong. And then suddenly one day, about two weeks after the shooting, Rios yawned, or made some type of movement with his mouth. The family then gained hope that everything would be okay.

“When I saw him in the hospital bed, it was a shock; I thought he was going to die,” Merilda Rios said. “The shooting has changed us. We value life more.”

The decision to retire was made solely by Rios. His family left it up to him, they said. During his speech at the retirement party, Mayor Jackson made an off-the-cuff remark about finding Rios a job where he could remain connected to his brothers and sisters in blue and the citizens of Trenton. The mayor later told a Trentonian reporter that he had not previously thought about a position for Rios, but that there’s certainly a possibility.

“I’ve known Edgar for at least 15 years, and he is a rare cop who really loved his work and loved the people,” Mayor Jackson said. “We’re going to miss him, but I’m sure he trained a lot of these people to have that caring heart and that’s what I love about him most. He’s a cop that has a cop’s heart and a people’s heart, which is a rarity. Anytime you find someone that special, you try to find an opportunity for them. I’ll talk to the Director, and if there’s a place where his special skills can be used, we’re going to try and find that spot. When you find rare people like Edgar, you want to make sure they stay connected in some capacity.”

Rios said that he’s “open to offers.”

About the Author

Penny Ray has worked in media for the past 14 years. His career began in radio broadcasting, and most recently he served as editor of Homicide Watch D.C. Reach the author at pennyray@trentonian.com
or follow Penny on Twitter: @Penny_Ray.